SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549

                                    FORM N-8A

                          NOTIFICATION OF REGISTRATION
                      FILED PURSUANT TO SECTION 8(A) OF THE
                         INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940

         The undersigned  investment  company hereby notifies the Securities and
Exchange  Commission  that it registers  under and pursuant to the provisions of
Section 8(a) of the Investment  Company Act of 1940 and in connection  with such
notification of registrant submits the following information:

Name:    Dreyfus High Yield Strategies Fund

Address of Principal Business Office:

         200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166

Telephone Number: (888) 338-8084

Name and Address of Agent for Service of Process:

         Mark N. Jacobs
         General Counsel
         The Dreyfus Corporation
         Legal Department
         200 Park Avenue - 8th Floor West
         New York, New York 10166

Check Appropriate Box:

Registrant is filing a  Registration  Statement  pursuant to Section 8(b) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940 concurrently with the filing of Form N-8A:
           YES  /X/     NO /_/

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of  the  Investment  Company  Act  of  1940  the
registrant has caused this  notification  of  registration  to be duly signed on
behalf  of the  registrant  in the  city  of  Boston  and  the  Commonwealth  of
Massachusetts on the 13th day of March, 1998.

                                    DREYFUS HIGH YEILD STRATEGIES FUND

                                    By: /s/ Marie E. Connolly
                                        ------------------------------
                                         Marie E. Connolly
                                         President

Attest: /s/ Jean M. Oleary
       ------------------------
         Name: Jean M. Oleary
         Title: Notary Public